"The Idea of a Woman Stealing Someone Else's Partner is Ridiculous," I laughed. But After Being Reborn, I Became a Victim of Such a Woman. However, My New Fiancée was Absolutely Amazing. - Episode 30
A little while ago, at the Shirakubo household.
“This is impossible! Why do we have to pay such a huge amount just for having fun? This is crazy!”
Her parents, their faces pale, held their heads in despair as they stared silently at the letter in front of them.
The letter stated that multiple noble families were demanding compensation from the Shirakubo family for broken engagements.
Yuuna was furious at the amount written in the letter.
The Shirakubo family had no powerful backers and was of low social status, making it impossible for them to pay such a sum.
A few weeks ago, her parents had suddenly lost their jobs.
Worried about having no income, they tried to find new jobs through old connections, but for some reason, everyone treated them coldly and turned them away.
And now, they received this letter demanding compensation.
“Y-Yuuna… you said you were just getting along with your classmates and had no problems at school…! But you forced so many sons and daughters of noble families to break off their engagements…? Engagements are ties between families! How could you be the cause of this…?”
“What?! I was just being friendly with the boys! I did nothing wrong! I never asked them to break off their engagements!”
“Did you also get involved with a teacher…? The letter also says you are responsible for their divorces!”
“I was just talking to everyone nicely! It’s not my fault if they broke off their engagements or got divorced! I never told them to do it! They’re just blaming me unfairly!”
Her parents’ faces were filled with despair.
They, still pale, blamed Yuuna, but she strongly denied it, almost grinding her teeth in frustration.
In truth, Yuuna had never told anyone to break their engagements.
While she was spending time with male students and teachers, they neglected their fiancées and wives. That was not her fault.
In fact, it was their own choice to prioritize Yuuna.
If their fiancées or wives couldn’t keep them, that was their own failure, not Yuuna’s.
She never tried to steal them away.
They were the ones who approached her first.
Whenever she listened to them and treated them kindly, they adored her.
They spoiled her, bought her what she wanted, and paid for her meals.
Everything they did was their own decision.
“Oh, I know… They should all pay the money. It’s impossible for our family to cover everything.”
“What… are you saying? You want them… to pay?”
“Of course. This has nothing to do with me. Why should my family pay for this? Don’t worry, Father, Mother. I’ll talk to them. They always listen to me, so if everyone contributes, we can figure something out. Actually… we don’t even need to pay at all!”
Laughing, Yuuna quickly picked up the kimono that had been bought for her.
It was a bright red kimono with a peony design.
She carefully applied makeup and painted her lips with red lipstick.
“I’m going out for a bit. I’ll talk to some people with money. Father, Mother, you should focus on finding new jobs.”
“W-Wait! Yuuna! Do you understand? If we can’t pay, we’ll be taken to court! No, it’s almost certain we will be! If that happens, everything we own will be taken away, and you and your mother will be sold to a brothel!”
“I said it won’t come to that!”
Sold to a brothel.
Hearing that made Yuuna’s body tremble for the first time.
No way. That was unacceptable.
“You’re being so annoying. Blaming me just because you’re not attractive enough. How pathetic. Women’s jealousy is so ugly…”
Anyway, today she had a date planned with a few rich boys from noble families.
If she asked them, they would surely arrange a good lawyer and the money needed for compensation.
There was nothing to worry about.
(But… there are only six months until graduation. I should start thinking about getting engaged to someone from a good family. Among those who have proposed to me… the best choice is…)
She calculated in her head.
Her ideal choice was Taiki of the Shijo family, but he had rejected her outright, saying, “Your family status is too low. Don’t talk to me.”
He was not an option.
A family servant.
He had no interest in his fiancée and only saw marriage as a way to produce heirs.
If that was how he thought, she would rather aim for Yorube, a son from a branch family of the Hachijo family.
She had just reached the entrance of the shopping district when…
“You bastard! Stop being a coward!”
A loud yell and the sound of a struggle made Yuuna look up.
A plain girl she barely remembered, Mai Yuukizaka, was throwing a purse at a man while wearing an elegant kimono embroidered with fine thread.
Next to her, a tall soldier drew his sword and pointed it at the man sitting on the ground.
Even low-ranking soldiers were well-paid.
But the soldier next to Mai had three red stars on his shoulder.
And on both shoulders!
That meant he was part of the Demon Extermination Squad!
Six stars in total—a high-ranking officer!
(What?! Why is that plain girl with such an important soldier?!)
Yuuna didn’t remember whose fiancé Mai had been, but she vaguely recognized her because she had always been a top student.
She bit her lip in frustration.
Why was a plain girl like her with a tall, handsome soldier?
“Hey, isn’t that Lord Kouga from the Ichijou family?”
“You’re right! We just finished the social season, and we already get to see him? How lucky! Who is that lady beside him? I don’t recognize her.”
“Maybe his sister? She’s adorable.”
Yuuna turned her sharp gaze toward the women chatting excitedly.
What did they just say?
(The Ichijou family?! The most powerful noble family in the mainland?! Why?! Why?! Why?!)
Before she could process it, the two disappeared into the crowded marketplace.
However, the tall soldier of the Ichijou family was so noticeable that she could still see him above the crowd.
The Ichijou family.
(Why?! Why?! I heard she had a lot of spiritual power, but still… How could she outrank me?! This is ridiculous! Unforgivable!)